We Three

[Y Fan Wen]

We Three, a short about sheep station life in 1950s Australia, is showing on Talking Pictures TV at 10.40 on Sunday morning. My father spent 3 months at Woomera in the '50s so I can see what it was like at that time.

 

[Y Fan Wen]

Just a few notes for those that didn't see it.
Wilgena station in S Australia is 3500 sq miles in area and runs 55k merinos. Paddocks are 20 sq miles.
There are 40 staff spread over 2 homesteads, 40 miles apart with a shearing shed at each, and 10 outstations.
Stocking rate is 16 to the sq mile. Wool cheque for the year before was 222k pounds which means 4.00 per fleece I think. 750 ration sheep a year were slaughtered to feed staff and their dogs.
There is a Wikipedia entry; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilgena_Station
Dad visited Purple Downs station at the time and told me it was the size of Anglesey in 3 paddocks.

 

[Superted820]

After spending some very happy months on an arable unit a couple of hours north of Esperance nearly 20 years ago, I love the scale of some of these units.
The guy I was working for had the idea he wanted to buy a cattle station, so we chucked some gear in the ute, a couple of quads and headed off to see a few. Some were quite rundown. I shall never forget one place we went and I wish I could remember where it was. The station was pretty much vacant as it had been rundown over many years, and there was just a guy sitting in a shed just sort of keeping an eye on things!! In the middle of nowhere, Miles and miles from anyone, just sitting there. Thousands of acres around him to keep watch over!! Waiting for someone or something to happen!
Some very happy memories from those times.

 

[Jackov Altraids]

I'm afraid I missed it.

Thanks for reminding me of one of my favourite songs....haven't listened to it in an age;